PATUXENT RIVER, Md. , Aug. 20, 1998 -- Flight testing of the new V-22 Osprey tiltrotor has broken new ground among all rotorcraft, constituting a new unofficial world record.
A 10,000 pound load, attached to the aft external cargo hook of the V-22, was carried at a record speed of 220 knots -- the maximum payload for a single hook on the V-22. A Marine Helicopter Support Team conducted the hookups, having developed procedures for working underneath the V-22 during 15 prior hookups. In the coming weeks, the V-22 will test dual hook external loads with the military's High-mobility, multi-wheeled vehicle.
"The demonstration of the V-22's ability to carry external loads at very high speeds is a significant accomplishment," said John Buyers, Bell-Boeing V-22 program director at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. "This is the fastest airspeed any rotorcraft has carried an external load, no matter what the weight."
During the course of testing, the V-22 Osprey demonstrated additional versatility by successfully hooking up to an aerial refueling drogue behind a KC-130 tanker.
"Although these were dry plugs with no fuel transferred, the tests verified the ability of the V-22 to maintain a very stable attitude while in the receive position directly behind the giveaway aircraft," Buyers said. "This in-flight refueling capability will permit the V-22 to deploy worldwide."
Day and night confined area landings and low altitude tactics tests also were completed successfully. Flare decoys and radar defeating chaff were dispensed from the onboard aircraft survivability equipment. This capability greatly enhances V-22 operations in threat environments.
Low altitude tactical terrain flight capabilities were demonstrated during day and night operations. Sustained flight was accomplished at altitudes 500 feet above ground level (AGL) in airplane mode and at 200 feet AGL while partially converted (engine nacelles rotated between airplane and hover mode). These tactics will be an important capability for the service operators in that they will enhance their ability to avoid detection and increase the element of surprise, according to test pilots.
Individual test aircraft status is as follows: aircraft 7 is completing airspeed system evaluations and acoustic tests prior to beginning several months of loads calibration testing; aircraft 8 is performing external loads demonstrations; aircraft 9 is doing searchlight evaluations, stores separation tests and pilot training; while aircraft 10 is in modification preparing for operational evaluations. It will return to flight status later this month.
The V-22 Integrated Test Team and the Multi-service Operational Test Team turned in another record-breaking month in July for total flight hours during any month. During July, a total of 92.8 hours were flown on aircraft 8, 9 and 10. The engineering and manufacturing development aircraft have flown more than 600 hours in more than 300 flights, bringing the program total up to 1,785 flight hours including full-scale development flights. Aircraft 7 leads the fleet with a total of 187 hours and 101 flights.
The Bell Boeing Tiltrotor Team, comprised of Bell Helicopter Textron in Fort Worth, Texas, and The Boeing Company in Philadelphia, developed the V-22 tiltrotor for the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Special Operations Forces. Bell Helicopter Textron is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron, Inc. of Providence, R.I.
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